Freethought & Rationalism Archive

B. H. Manners · 04-22-2002, 05:12 PM

Just out of curiosity who here was a member of the Church of Christ at one time? Also, share a horror story if you will.

outtawork · 04-22-2002, 07:30 PM

I grew up in the cofc and have been a member of various kinds... conservative, liberal, anti's..

I remember as a kid going to a little church in Lake Milton OH, my father was an elder at the time and I was only about 12... this is about they time they start to integrate boys into taking part in worship if you are baptized...

I was the speaker at "the lord's table" and I accidently called the "offering" part of the lords supper.... my father pulled me into the hall after the ceremony and told me I had better never to that again or I'd be sorry.....

Oh, and one time they had us standing up for two songs and then some really long boring prayer that went on for about 10 minutes... I was 10 and had locked my legs... about half way through the prayer I passed out... they made me stay for the rest of the service even though we had brought two cars....

My dad volunteered to pick up this really odd older woman that collected those fake diamonds.. Cubic Zerconia (sp).. I was squished between her and my dad in the front seat of our Chevy Celebrity for the 45 minute ride from her house to the building... it was really humid outside and there was a lightening storm... she was sweating very bad and soaked the side of my shirt.

I stunk like a nursing home the rest of the night. Luckily I got to hear the story of how she accidently swallowed one of her fake diamonds then mined it out of her shit a couple of days later... ahhh, those precious memories, how they linger....

There were a couple of girls that lived across the street from the building... they wrote in big chalk letters "I love Jeff" all over the sidewalks.. I got in trouble for it!! <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />
Hey, it's not my fault I'm a chick magnet!

That's just off the top of my head.

Outtawork

B. H. Manners · 04-22-2002, 07:57 PM

I grew up in the non-Sunday School group of CoC churches. I never understood their opposition to Sunday School as scriptural because they would have something called Singing School and it functioned on the same principle as Sunday School.

Did you know about a large minority of members and churches who actually believe it is a sin to take money out of the church treasury (for charitable purposes) and give it to someone who has not been baptized? This will include little kids too if I understand correctly. They base this belief on obeying "the pattern" (I Tim 1:13) and "not going beyond what is written" (I Cor 4:6.) Since I Cor 16 specifies the contribution was for the saints, only saints could be helped from it. No atheists, unbaptized kids or spouses of church members, no Baptists, ect. They will also use I Tim 5:1-20 as a strict law on how to divy up the money too. One of them told me I was hell bound for being am member of a CoC that did not follow their strict interpretation. I told him him that if God is ashamed of me on judgement day for taking money out of the contribution to feed some sick,poor child or non-CoC member then I would be ashamed of God and go embrace the devil. One reason I came to believe Christianity was harmful was because of idiotic doctrines like this.

[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: BH ]

[ April 23, 2002: Message edited by: BH ]</p>

Rosiel · 04-22-2002, 08:04 PM

My grandmother belongs to the Church of Christ and made me and my sisters go when we were little. Fortunately my parents didn't force the issue when we got tired of getting up early on Sundays.

I think most of my initial contempt for religion started when I saw the kids my age that went to my grandmother's church going out and getting drunk, doing all kinds of drugs, having sex, then going to church on sunday and being held up to me as the "good kids". I wasn't as worthy as they were, even though I didn't do all of the crap they did, just because they went to church and I didn't. It was so hypocritical.

Plus everyone who went to that church outside of the handful of kids my age were all old and very judgemental of anyone younger than they were. (If you weren't 80, apparently you weren't going to heaven O_o).

I really don't have much church experience outside of the church of christ...maybe it's like that in all of them. I don't know. It was just really crappy and I knew pretty much as soon as I could form my own opinions that I didn't want to have any part of it.

B. H. Manners · 04-22-2002, 08:21 PM

Rosiel, I know what you are talking about. I had an elder at the church I went to after the non-class one shut down tell us that before Christ returns for his second coming Elijah would have to appear. No one had the guts to correct him saying that Malachi 4:5 was "fulfilled" according to Jesus in Matt 17:11-12 and Mark 9: 12-13. This idiot was in his 50's but I felt I knew more Bible at age 15 than he did .

[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: BH ]</p>

vaelarin · 04-22-2002, 10:25 PM

I was a CoC'er from infancy until about 6 years ago (then age 24), when I finally realized how cult like they really are and left. It scares the hell out of me to look back and see the absolutely insane, and I mean clinically, bullshit that I believed and preached - yep, preached. I was also deeply involved with the youth program, even as a paid youth minister for a short time.

I spent a year at Harding University - one of their schools, which will be my horror story for you

In 1992, the university yearbook's coverpage featured a full color half-page picture of a burning cross with this footer at the bottom:

"Burning Boldly. Students saw this fiery sight the last Monday night of August as campus leaders encouraged them to ignite a spiritual fire for the upcoming year... [the] unique Harding experience allows students to see the cross of Christ blazing in all its glory. The burning of the cross at Camp Wyldwood has always been a special experience for Harding Students."

In fact, I've been meaning to scan the picture so I can show it off. I don't have a scanner at home, so I'll bring it in to work and get it scanned. Once I do, I'll post a link in the thread here so everyone can enjoy it

Talulah · 04-23-2002, 07:55 AM

Born and bred Church of Christ. It would take too long to compose a truely horrific story for you but here are a few snipits.

Sunday morning, a few years ago, I stumble into the kitchen after a sleepless night of vomiting. My dad walks into the kitchen as my mother is taking my tempature
Mother: L-----, she has 101.5, I think she might really be sick.
Father: Is that supposed to mean she can't go to church?
Me:ugh
Mother:I guess not.

So, I am carted off to Sunday school, then worship in my state.

Example two: One thing that really irritated me was that it was almost impossible at times to listen to that 'good' and 'wholesome' preaching with the sound of the mothers and fathers slapping their children and hissing that they were going to take them outside and beat them if they didn't shut up. *Slap, wail.., "I told you to shut up and listen, get up and come outside"*

My 'atheist testimony' is on this page too.

<a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=55&t=000020&p=7" target="_blank">http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=55&t=000020&p=7</a>

ohwilleke · 04-23-2002, 07:57 AM

I had a co-worker who was a Church of Christer at my last job who was relentless in a good natured way in trying to evangelize. She wasn't all that well informed about her own faith although she went to church all the time and talked about that constantly. I think she got into it after she divorced her Jewish husband.

ex-preacher · 04-23-2002, 08:05 AM

Former Church of Christ here. My family tree is full of preachers, elders, missionaries and such. I have degrees from or close connections with three CoC universities: Abilene, Oklahoma, and Harding. I was a minister for 12 years and a Bible professor for 3 years. Virtually everyone in my family (including my wife & kids) are still in it.

I don't really have any horror stories. Sure, I've met my share of idiots and hypocrites, but I've found that they exist in every religion and even among those who have no religion. I didn't leave because of a bad incident, but simply because I became convinced that Christianity wasn't true. A longer version of my story is also on the "Atheists' Testimony" thread. My story is not so much about personal stuff, as it is about the questions which caused me to leave.

SharonDee · 04-23-2002, 08:26 AM

CoC was me, but I see now that my flavor wasn't quite as tight-assed as some. Anyway, my mother's father became CoC long ago and raised all eleven children that way. Each of the eleven children proceeded to raise theirs in the CoC, as did their children's children. That means a butt-load of those people are in my family and I've stopped going to family gatherings because I don't want to keep fielding questions about when I'm returning to church.

04-22-2002, 05:12 PM	#1
B. H. Manners Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 1,213	Church of Christ Just out of curiosity who here was a member of the Church of Christ at one time? Also, share a horror story if you will.

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04-22-2002, 07:30 PM	#2
outtawork Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: San Diego, Ca Posts: 97	I grew up in the cofc and have been a member of various kinds... conservative, liberal, anti's.. I remember as a kid going to a little church in Lake Milton OH, my father was an elder at the time and I was only about 12... this is about they time they start to integrate boys into taking part in worship if you are baptized... I was the speaker at "the lord's table" and I accidently called the "offering" part of the lords supper.... my father pulled me into the hall after the ceremony and told me I had better never to that again or I'd be sorry..... Oh, and one time they had us standing up for two songs and then some really long boring prayer that went on for about 10 minutes... I was 10 and had locked my legs... about half way through the prayer I passed out... they made me stay for the rest of the service even though we had brought two cars.... My dad volunteered to pick up this really odd older woman that collected those fake diamonds.. Cubic Zerconia (sp).. I was squished between her and my dad in the front seat of our Chevy Celebrity for the 45 minute ride from her house to the building... it was really humid outside and there was a lightening storm... she was sweating very bad and soaked the side of my shirt. I stunk like a nursing home the rest of the night. Luckily I got to hear the story of how she accidently swallowed one of her fake diamonds then mined it out of her shit a couple of days later... ahhh, those precious memories, how they linger.... There were a couple of girls that lived across the street from the building... they wrote in big chalk letters "I love Jeff" all over the sidewalks.. I got in trouble for it!! <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" /> Hey, it's not my fault I'm a chick magnet! That's just off the top of my head. Outtawork

04-22-2002, 07:57 PM	#3
B. H. Manners Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 1,213	I grew up in the non-Sunday School group of CoC churches. I never understood their opposition to Sunday School as scriptural because they would have something called Singing School and it functioned on the same principle as Sunday School. Did you know about a large minority of members and churches who actually believe it is a sin to take money out of the church treasury (for charitable purposes) and give it to someone who has not been baptized? This will include little kids too if I understand correctly. They base this belief on obeying "the pattern" (I Tim 1:13) and "not going beyond what is written" (I Cor 4:6.) Since I Cor 16 specifies the contribution was for the saints, only saints could be helped from it. No atheists, unbaptized kids or spouses of church members, no Baptists, ect. They will also use I Tim 5:1-20 as a strict law on how to divy up the money too. One of them told me I was hell bound for being am member of a CoC that did not follow their strict interpretation. I told him him that if God is ashamed of me on judgement day for taking money out of the contribution to feed some sick,poor child or non-CoC member then I would be ashamed of God and go embrace the devil. One reason I came to believe Christianity was harmful was because of idiotic doctrines like this. [ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: BH ] [ April 23, 2002: Message edited by: BH ]</p>

04-22-2002, 08:04 PM	#4
Rosiel Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 122	My grandmother belongs to the Church of Christ and made me and my sisters go when we were little. Fortunately my parents didn't force the issue when we got tired of getting up early on Sundays. I think most of my initial contempt for religion started when I saw the kids my age that went to my grandmother's church going out and getting drunk, doing all kinds of drugs, having sex, then going to church on sunday and being held up to me as the "good kids". I wasn't as worthy as they were, even though I didn't do all of the crap they did, just because they went to church and I didn't. It was so hypocritical. Plus everyone who went to that church outside of the handful of kids my age were all old and very judgemental of anyone younger than they were. (If you weren't 80, apparently you weren't going to heaven O_o). I really don't have much church experience outside of the church of christ...maybe it's like that in all of them. I don't know. It was just really crappy and I knew pretty much as soon as I could form my own opinions that I didn't want to have any part of it.

04-22-2002, 08:21 PM	#5
B. H. Manners Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 1,213	Rosiel, I know what you are talking about. I had an elder at the church I went to after the non-class one shut down tell us that before Christ returns for his second coming Elijah would have to appear. No one had the guts to correct him saying that Malachi 4:5 was "fulfilled" according to Jesus in Matt 17:11-12 and Mark 9: 12-13. This idiot was in his 50's but I felt I knew more Bible at age 15 than he did . [ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: BH ]</p>

04-22-2002, 10:25 PM	#6
vaelarin Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Georgia Posts: 14	I was a CoC'er from infancy until about 6 years ago (then age 24), when I finally realized how cult like they really are and left. It scares the hell out of me to look back and see the absolutely insane, and I mean clinically, bullshit that I believed and preached - yep, preached. I was also deeply involved with the youth program, even as a paid youth minister for a short time. I spent a year at Harding University - one of their schools, which will be my horror story for you In 1992, the university yearbook's coverpage featured a full color half-page picture of a burning cross with this footer at the bottom: "Burning Boldly. Students saw this fiery sight the last Monday night of August as campus leaders encouraged them to ignite a spiritual fire for the upcoming year... [the] unique Harding experience allows students to see the cross of Christ blazing in all its glory. The burning of the cross at Camp Wyldwood has always been a special experience for Harding Students." In fact, I've been meaning to scan the picture so I can show it off. I don't have a scanner at home, so I'll bring it in to work and get it scanned. Once I do, I'll post a link in the thread here so everyone can enjoy it

04-23-2002, 07:55 AM	#7
Talulah Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Beautiful Colorado Posts: 682	Born and bred Church of Christ. It would take too long to compose a truely horrific story for you but here are a few snipits. Sunday morning, a few years ago, I stumble into the kitchen after a sleepless night of vomiting. My dad walks into the kitchen as my mother is taking my tempature Mother: L-----, she has 101.5, I think she might really be sick. Father: Is that supposed to mean she can't go to church? Me:ugh Mother:I guess not. So, I am carted off to Sunday school, then worship in my state. Example two: One thing that really irritated me was that it was almost impossible at times to listen to that 'good' and 'wholesome' preaching with the sound of the mothers and fathers slapping their children and hissing that they were going to take them outside and beat them if they didn't shut up. Slap, wail.., "I told you to shut up and listen, get up and come outside" My 'atheist testimony' is on this page too. <a href="http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=55&t=000020&p=7" target="_blank">http://iidb.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=55&t=000020&p=7</a>

04-23-2002, 07:57 AM	#8
ohwilleke Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Denver, Colorado, USA Posts: 4,834	I had a co-worker who was a Church of Christer at my last job who was relentless in a good natured way in trying to evangelize. She wasn't all that well informed about her own faith although she went to church all the time and talked about that constantly. I think she got into it after she divorced her Jewish husband.

04-23-2002, 08:05 AM	#9
ex-preacher Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: University of Arkansas Posts: 1,033	Former Church of Christ here. My family tree is full of preachers, elders, missionaries and such. I have degrees from or close connections with three CoC universities: Abilene, Oklahoma, and Harding. I was a minister for 12 years and a Bible professor for 3 years. Virtually everyone in my family (including my wife & kids) are still in it. I don't really have any horror stories. Sure, I've met my share of idiots and hypocrites, but I've found that they exist in every religion and even among those who have no religion. I didn't leave because of a bad incident, but simply because I became convinced that Christianity wasn't true. A longer version of my story is also on the "Atheists' Testimony" thread. My story is not so much about personal stuff, as it is about the questions which caused me to leave.

04-23-2002, 08:26 AM	#10
SharonDee Regular Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: the Bible Belt (TN hole) Posts: 317	CoC was me, but I see now that my flavor wasn't quite as tight-assed as some. Anyway, my mother's father became CoC long ago and raised all eleven children that way. Each of the eleven children proceeded to raise theirs in the CoC, as did their children's children. That means a butt-load of those people are in my family and I've stopped going to family gatherings because I don't want to keep fielding questions about when I'm returning to church.

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